Verbena plant named ‘Rap Orch’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Rap Orch’, characterized by its compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent plant habit; freely branching habit; early and uniform flowering habit and bright purple-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: (Verbena hybrida×Verbenatenuisecta)×(Verbena hybrida×Verbena tenuisecta) cultivar Rap Orch.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as (Verbena hybrida×Verbenatenuisecta)×(Verbena hybrida×Verbena tenuisecta), and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Rap Orch’.

The new Verbena is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Gilroy, Calif. The objective of the breeding program isto develop new compact Verbena cultivars with early and uniformflowering, good basal branching, attractive flower and foliagecoloration, and tolerance to Powdery Mildew.

The new Verbena originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin March, 2001 of a proprietary selection of Verbena hybrida×Verbenatenuisecta identified as code number 00-1206-3, not patented, as thefemale, or seed, parent with a proprietary Verbena hybrida×Verbenatenuisecta selection identified as code number 00-1194-2, not patented,as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Rap Orch was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny fromthis cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. inSeptember, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in Gilroy,Calif., since September, 2001 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Verbena are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Rap Orch’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Rap Orch’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early and uniform flowering habit.    -   4. Bright purple-colored flowers.    -   5. Relatively less susceptible to Powdery Mildew.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of thenew Verbena differed from plants of the female parent selection in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena flowered earlier than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and the female parent selection        differed in flower coloration as plants of the female parent        selection were rose pink in color.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of thenew Verbena differed from plants of the male parent selection in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more vigorous and larger than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and the male parent selection        differed in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        had pink-colored flowers.

The new Verbena can be compared to the cultivar, Mylena, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,192. However, in side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed fromplants of the cultivar Mylena in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Verbena were more deeply        dissected than leaves of plants of the cultivar Mylena.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had fuller flowers than plants of        the cultivar Mylena.    -   3. Plants of the new Verbena and the cultivar Mylena differed in        flower color as plants of the cultivar Mylena had lavender        pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Rap Orch’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflower racemes and leaves of ‘Rap Orch’.

Flower and foliage colors in the photographs may differ slightly fromthe color values cited in the detailed botanical description whichaccurately describe the colors of the new Verbena.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Rap Orch have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Gilroy, Calif., under commercial practice in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse during the summer with day temperaturesabout 24 to 32° C., night temperatures about 13 to 18° C. and lightlevels about 2,000 foot-candles. Plants used for the photographs anddescription were about twelve weeks from planting rooted cuttings andwere pinched twice. In the following description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: (Verbena hybrida×Verbena    tenuisecta)×(Verbena hybrida×Verbena tenuisecta) cultivar Rap Orch.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Verbena hybrida×Verbena            tenuisecta selection identified as code number 00-1206-3,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary Verbena hybrida×Verbena            tenuisecta selection identified as code number 00-1194-2,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 7 to 10 days at 22 to 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner.—About three to            four weeks at 22 to 24° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent            plant habit.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous and            freely-branching with about six main stems and multiple            secondary lateral branches.        -   Plant height.—About 16 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 48 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About            2.5 mm. Internode length: Vegetative branches, about 2 cm;            reproductive branches, about 4 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:            About 3.9 cm. Width: About 4.2 cm. Shape: Deltoid; highly            dissected, fern-like. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Deeply dissected. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Coarse,            pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate, netted. Color:            Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A.            Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B.            Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 147B. Petiole: Length:            About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: 146B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single upright salverform flowers            arranged on terminal racemes; flowers sessile. Freely            flowering with about 45 flowers per raceme; about three            racemes per lateral branch. Inflorescences positioned above            and beyond the foliage. Flowers last about five to seven            days under greenhouse conditions. Flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering season.—In the garden, flowering is continuous            from spring until fall.        -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 4.2 cm. Diameter: About            3.8 cm.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 1.7 cm. Tube length: About 2.5            cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Tubular. Color: 81A.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower fused at base.            Lobe length: About 7 mm. Lobe width: About 5 mm. Shape:            Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Velvety, smooth. Color: When opening,            upper surface: 78A. When opening, lower surface: 77B. Fully            opened, upper surface: 78A; towards the center, slightly            brighter than 78A; color becoming closer to 78B with            development. Fully opened, lower surface: 77C. Throat: Close            to 150B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five, fused into a tube.            Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Shape:            Ligulate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Coarse, pubescent. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: 147C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Angle: Upright or curving upward on horizontal stems.            Strength: Strong. Color: 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Four. Anther shape:            Ovoid. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 145B.            Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 150A. Pistils:            Quantity: One. Pistil length: About 1.5 cm. Stigma shape:            Bi-parted. Stigma color: 145B. Style length: About 1.3 cm.            Style color: 145D. Ovary color: 145B.        -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have been    observed to be relatively less susceptible to Powdery Mildew. Plants    of the new Verbena have not been observed to be resistant to other    pathogens and pests common to Verbena.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed    to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 2 to 40° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Rap Orch’, asillustrated and described.